title: Belief in AIDS origin conspiracy theory and willingness to participate in biomedical research studies: findings in whites, blacks, and Hispanics in seven cities across two surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether a belief in the AIDS origin conspiracy theory is related to likelihood or fear of participation in research studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Tuskegee Legacy Project Questionnaire was administered via random-digit-dialed telephone interview to black, white, and Hispanic participants in 4 cities in 1999 and 2000 (n = 1,133) and in 3 cities in 2003 (n = 1,162).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 1999, 27.8% of blacks, 23.6% of Hispanics, and 8% of whites (P ≤ .001) reported that it was "very or somewhat likely" that AIDS is "the result of a government plan to intentionally kill a certain group of people by genocide." In 2003, 34.1% of blacks, 21.9% of Hispanics, and 8.4% of whites (P ≤ .001) reported the same.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whereas blacks and Hispanics were more than 3 times more likely than whites to believe in this AIDS origin conspiracy theory, holding this belief was not associated with a decreased likelihood of participation in, or increased fear of participation in, biomedical research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, New York University, New York, NY, USA. stefanie.russell@nyu.edu
authors.forename: Stefanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Ralph V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Min Qi
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B Lee
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kressin
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Claudio
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D035843:Biomedical Research; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002947:Cities; D003469:Culture; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People